Nutrition Facts
Availability
Stages of Ripeness
Storage
Usage Tips
Meal Planning

Plantains are used as a staple food in many tropical countries around the world. The fruit is used in many of the same ways potatoes are used in North American diets.
A tantalizing delight lies in store for those willing to try the plantain, a vegetable that has a distinct flavor at all stages of development.

Nutrition Facts

When green	When ripe

• Can be eaten as a vegetable dish or sweet dessert.
• Highly nutritious.
• Good source of potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin A,
  and vitamin C.
• High in carbohydrates, energy booster.
  

Availability

Plantains are available year-round.

Stages of ripeness

Plantains begin at a green stage, moving to yellow and then to black as they ripen and gain sweetness. Plantains cannot be eaten raw at any stage. They must be cooked (like potatoes).

The texture and taste of this versatile fruit depends entirely on its ripeness stage.

• Green plantains are starchy and have a taste more comparable to a potato. Green plantains are used in recipes similar to potato (fried) or other starchy vegetable. The pulp is ivory in color and firm.
• Yellow plantains are between the green and black stage. The skin may be spotted with brownish-black spots. Yellow fruit may be used in recipes that call for a flavor that is slightly sweet but with a firm texture.
• Black plantains are the sweetest and are used in recipes requiring a ripe or sweet plantain. The black stage can range from heavy black spotting to a fully black and very soft fruit. Fruit pulp is yellow-orange color and very soft.

Storage

Store plantains at room temperature.

Usage tips

Peeling a plantain:
Using a sharp knife cut off the top and bottom ends of the plantain. With the tip of the knife make one slit in the skin of the plantain from top to bottom. Use your thumb and fingers to work the peel away from the pulp of the fruit beginning at the slit. Less ripe plantains have tougher skins and are best peeled under cold water to avoid bruising.

Meal planning

Plantains can be easily incorporated into any meal. Substitute for starchy vegetable (i.e. potato). Prepare by baking or boiling. Plaintains can be added to soups or stews, or you can boil and mash green plantains like potatoes. Bake ripe plantains with roasted meats (like sweet potatoes). Substitute ripe plantains for fruit in baked desserts like bread puddings.

See the recipe section for more plantain ideas.